Who should be responsible in this situation?

United States
July 23, 2016 8:32am CST
While catching up on Facebook the last few days I saw a few posts by a woman whose daughter was getting ready for her driving test. She spoke highly of how her daughter's driving skills were much better than she thought they would be. She described in great detail how she learned to park for the test and that she is a very capable person.Well, it seems that she isn't all that capable, but I don't think its her fault. When you go for something such as a test for a driver's license there is paperwork involved. Paperwork that the person needs to take with them in order to get the test. Well, they drove to the testing location, 20 minutes away from their home. When they got there the mom realized 'she' (she the mom, not the daughter) forgot the paperwork. That ended the test for that day and it has been rescheduled. My problem with this is why is it the mom's fault? Why didn't the daughter make sure to take those document? If a person is old enough (according to the law) to take a test to operate a vehicle that is capable of becoming a killing machine, shouldn't the person taking the test remember to bring the paperwork? I guess I am showing my age here because when it was my turn to get my license I had the responsibility of making sure everything was in order. Maybe that's why I know how to handle things properly to this day. I think the mom needs to turn over responsibility to the daughter in this case. Photo: pixabay.com/en/team-silhouettes-businessmen-940612/
19 people like this
20 responses
@msiduri (5687)
• United States
23 Jul 16
So long ago and far away when I took the first driving test, I forgotten the gory details, but I can't imagine it being anyone's fault by mine if the paperwork was left behind. For the same reason: "You want to drive, you have to remember these things."
2 people like this
• United States
23 Jul 16
Exactly! If someone can't do a simple task how will they handle actually driving on the road?
1 person likes this
@msiduri (5687)
• United States
23 Jul 16
@AbbyGreenhill I had to get my car smogged (had to have it checked for emissions) before I have it registered. Mommy and daddy aren't going to help with that. I mean, I had to PAY for it myself, too.
2 people like this
• United States
23 Jul 16
@msiduri That's good they are installing those values in you! You will have to do a lot of things for yourself though your life so the earlier you start the better!
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
23 Jul 16
if the mom told the daughter, I'll get that together and bring it for you. and left it on the table last minute maybe, but yes, the daughter should have been responsible for it.
1 person likes this
• United States
23 Jul 16
She didn't go into detail about the 'before' so I have to assume the mom was taking it and forgot.
1 person likes this
• United States
25 Jul 16
@Jessicalynnt Mom will do what she did for the other two - drive them to college and pick them up on weekend so they can visit friends while mom does the laundry LOL!
1 person likes this
• Centralia, Missouri
25 Jul 16
@AbbyGreenhill Well maybe the kid will learn that they have to be responsible too, like asking if it's there, or handling it themselves. If they want to be responsible to drive, they gotta step up
@LeaPea2417 (37350)
• Toccoa, Georgia
23 Jul 16
I totally agree with you! Why didn't the daughter not make sure that the paper work be taken along? It doesn't seem like the daughter is that responsible.
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (37350)
• Toccoa, Georgia
23 Jul 16
1 person likes this
• United States
23 Jul 16
It should be the job of the daughter to at least ask - where's the paperwork mom?
1 person likes this
@sallypup (60954)
• Centralia, Washington
24 Jul 16
I'm with you. Just hope the daughter remembers all she needs to when she is driving.
1 person likes this
• United States
24 Jul 16
LOL, you mean like seat belts, and no cell phone, and no speeding - things like that!
1 person likes this
@sallypup (60954)
• Centralia, Washington
24 Jul 16
@AbbyGreenhill Yes and my favorite idiot trick- signaling AS you are turning. . NO. Signal before you turn.
@JudyEv (339464)
• Rockingham, Australia
24 Jul 16
Some Mums don't want to give up control and maybe this is the case here. It isn't ideal for sure but Mums have to learn to let go at some stage and let the kids fend for themselves.
1 person likes this
• United States
24 Jul 16
I think this mom likes to be in control which is why it seems strange that 'she' would forget the paperwork.
1 person likes this
24 Jul 16
That is true. Both my father as well as my mother insist I do my things on my own and arrange stuffs on my own accord.
1 person likes this
• United States
24 Jul 16
Good for them! They are training you well.
1 person likes this
24 Jul 16
@AbbyGreenhill Thank you. This definitely has instilled a sense of independence as well as confidence in me. Since I feel so, my younger siblings are following up the same path.
@inertia4 (27960)
• United States
23 Jul 16
It is no ones fault. It is just a mistake. I feel the daughter was nervous about taking the test thinking the mother would remember the papers. But the mother had to be nervous as well and forgot the papers. It is just what it is. No one should be at fault here.
@inertia4 (27960)
• United States
23 Jul 16
@AbbyGreenhill Well, either way, I am sure the mother felt for her daughter no matter what number daughter she was. And believe me, they don't drive much better here in the city.
1 person likes this
• United States
23 Jul 16
@inertia4 We have no inspection here - so they all drive around with card w/o hoods, doors, etc. It's nutz.
1 person likes this
• United States
23 Jul 16
This is her third daughter in two years to get the license...I think mom is beyond being nervous - she had planned a weekend away to celebrate the fact. In the south kids have no fear of driving it's quite evident by how they drive - badly most of them!
1 person likes this
@PatZAnthony (14749)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
24 Jul 16
Some parents are very intrusive when it comes to such things. Perhaps the mom was holding the paperwork at some point so it would not be forgotten. That would be funny, wouldn't it? Then you would have the child looking at the mother thinking what I am thinking now!
1 person likes this
• United States
24 Jul 16
Maybe the 'truth' behind this story will come out next week when the girl tries again to go take the test!
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
23 Jul 16
I agree that if she's old enough to drive she should be responsible for anything pertaining to herself, but I suppose she's used to mom being in charge.
1 person likes this
• United States
23 Jul 16
I am pretty sure mom rules the roost and the rooster!
1 person likes this
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
23 Jul 16
A big mistake.Many mothers do this to their child.It does not help the child self esteem there.
1 person likes this
• United States
23 Jul 16
They will be in their 30's still waiting for mom to do stuff for them!
• United States
23 Jul 16
I would think it's the daughters responsibility to remember the paperwork since she's the one taking the drivers test. However, maybe the mom could have reminded her?
1 person likes this
• United States
23 Jul 16
There was a lack of communication somewhere along the line. Glad I don't have to worry about such things!
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
23 Jul 16
It was definitely the daughter's responsibility to remember the paperwork @AbbyGreenhill . There's a lot being left out in today's world when it comes to 'teaching' kids what they need to know and do.
1 person likes this
• United States
23 Jul 16
I agree. Parents do way too much and it's not helping the kids learn.
@josie_ (10034)
• Philippines
23 Jul 16
The mother is probably one of those "pushy" parents who want their children to succeed where they(parents) failed and be able to bask in the achievement of their kids. I am basing this on how the mother seems overly effusive in praising her daughter in her (mother) FB posts.
1 person likes this
• United States
23 Jul 16
Right, I agree with you. If you say your daughter is so wonderful and being go good then she needs to be 'good' in all regards.
1 person likes this
• India
24 Jul 16
If the daughter is old enough to get the driving licence then, doing paperwork and remembering to bring it along with her is also undoubtedly her responsibility. She needs to learn to take care of her things, mother won't be there every time.
1 person likes this
• United States
24 Jul 16
Exactly. She will be going off to college and she will have to take care of herself.
• United States
24 Jul 16
I am with you! The daughter she have been prepared.
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
24 Jul 16
like you I think the mom should help... but it's not her responsibility...
• Eugene, Oregon
23 Jul 16
The young woman should have made certain that they had the documents.
• United States
23 Jul 16
Right, she should have. No one is going to follow around behind her through life.
@paigea (36317)
• Canada
8 Aug 16
Oh absolutely the mom should not be taking responsibility for that. It is too bad when parents do that. Students are always wanting to phone home because they forgot their lunch/homework, "forgot" to stay out of a puddle at recess. My parents would not have come running to school with any of these things and we learned to remember our own stuff.
@ilocosboy (45156)
• Philippines
23 Jul 16
I'm not teaching my children driving any kind of motor engine until reaching 21 years old.
• United States
23 Jul 16
What is the age to get the license there?
1 person likes this
@ilocosboy (45156)
• Philippines
23 Jul 16
@AbbyGreenhill non prof is 16 and professional is 18
1 person likes this
• United States
23 Jul 16
@ilocosboy Ok, so you will make a kid wait 5 extra years...I'd like to hear how that goes over LOL!
• United States
24 Jul 16
My mom done all of my paperwork for me to get my license but all it was is a log in sheet of when I drove and what times. She legally had to fill it out and sign it because I had to have a parent of someone over the age of 21 in the car with me while driving until I got my license. We didn't have any other paper work for the DMV. We did have paper work for driver's ed though that she was still responsible for filling out and keeping track of because she is the parent and I was the minor. I just had to take it in a folder to the class. Also just because someone who is a minor doesn't handle their own paper work with stuff like this doesn't mean they want be able to handle thing properly later on. My mom handle my stuff like that because I was a minor and didn't know how to fill the paperwork out or didn't know where the stuff was in the house. I'm now an adult and did it all on my own just fine. now that I have all of my own personal stuff like SSC, birth certificate, etc.